Lukewarm is not a good thing

I got an official-looking yellow envelope in the mail recently with a return address of "2009 Obama Agenda Survey." Good, the president wants to know what I think. Umm… the next line in the address says "Republican National Committee." …no. Psychological researchers and poll takers know the difference between a leading question and an neutral question. They know how leading questions skew the results and they know how to avoid them. Unless you want a skewed results. Actually, the RNC doesn't care about the results (even though they have assigned my survey with an ID number and will track it to make sure they get my response -- HA!), they want me so pissed off by the choices I have to make that I'll send them a donation. Here are a few of the 15 questions in their "survey" with only "yes," "no," and "no opinion" the only possible responses. No wishy-washy liberals allowed!

Do you agree with Barack Obama's budget plan that will lead to a $23.1 trillion deficit over the next ten years?

Should English be the official language of the United States?

Do you believe that Barack Obama's nominees for federal courts should be immediately and unquestionably approved for their lifetime appointments by the U.S. Senate?

Do you believe that the quality and availability of healthcare will increase if the federal government dictates pricing to doctors and hospitals?

Are you in favor of reinstituting the military draft, as Democrats in Congress have proposed?

Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover all gleefully accepted.

Before you accuse me of being a turncoat, I must have gotten onto the GOP mailing lists before 1992 when they officially became homophobic and said so at their national convention. Or the GOP is sending it to, well, everybody.


But don't think I'm letting Democrats off the hook. At the end of another story about a gay serviceperson being booted out of the military (when a simple call by Obama to the DoD would end it until Congress officially repeals Don't Ask Don't Tell) there is a quote from December 21, 2008 by someone named Jillian who blogs at Sadly, No:

I must confess that over the past few years I have been completely nauseated by the Sensible Liberal. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Left’s greatest stumbling block is not the Republican party or the Freepers of the world, but the moderate Democrat, who is more devoted to “winning” than to justice, who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension, often called “inclusion” or “getting along”, to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who says “I agree with the goal you seek, but I also understand the point of view of people who think you are little more than crazed pedophiles”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s full citizenship; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the fag to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

John, author of Revelations, had a few things to say about being lukewarm in chapter 3. Hot and cold he could deal with. Lukewarm was a cause for rejection.

One of those soldiers, Air Force Major Margaret Witt, canned under DADT has sued the Air Force over her dismissal. Some strange action (or inaction) has allowed this case to proceed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That means the government has to support why DADT exists and many are hoping the judges will see through the flimsy evidence. Is this Obama trying to play it safe? Does it get repealed without him getting his fingers dirty repealing it?